Playtime

I remember the first time I sat down with friends to play Tong Its—the cards felt unfamiliar, the strategies unclear, and I spent most of the match just trying to keep up. It reminded me of when I first tried World of Warcraft's endgame content years ago, facing the same repetitive cycle of Mythic dungeons and 20-player raids that had dominated the game since 2016's Legion expansion. Just like in WoW, where Blizzard finally acknowledged that not everyone enjoys coordinating with large groups of strangers, Tong Its requires its own kind of adaptability. You can't just rely on luck or follow a rigid playbook. Over countless games, I've discovered that winning consistently comes down to a handful of strategies that blend observation, timing, and a bit of calculated risk-taking. Let me walk you through five approaches that have transformed me from a hesitant beginner to someone who can confidently navigate even the toughest matches.

One of the most crucial strategies revolves around reading your opponents early and often. In Tong Its, every discard tells a story. If someone consistently throws out high-numbered cards early, they’re likely chasing a quick win with low sets. I once played against a friend who discarded a 9 and a King in the first two turns—it was obvious he was aiming for a "Seven Pairs" hand. By paying attention, I adjusted my own discards to avoid feeding his combinations, and it completely shut down his momentum. This is similar to how WoW’s new Delves system rewards solo players for understanding enemy patterns rather than relying on a team to cover mistakes. You’re essentially playing against the "habits" of other players, not just their cards. I’d estimate that sharp observation alone boosts my win rate by at least 20%, though I admit I haven’t kept exact stats—it just feels that way based on my experience.

Another game-changer is knowing when to pivot your strategy mid-match. Stubbornly sticking to one plan, like forcing a "Pure Sequence" when the cards aren’t cooperating, is a surefire way to lose. I learned this the hard way during a tense match where I held onto two Aces for far too long, hoping for a third. Meanwhile, my opponent seamlessly switched from aiming for a "Flush" to a "Full House" and won with a surprise declaration. Flexibility is key, much like how WoW’s Delves allow players to adjust their tactics on the fly without being locked into a fixed role. In Tong Its, if you notice the deck isn’t favoring your initial approach, don’t hesitate to dismantle partial sets and rebuild. It’s better to settle for a smaller win than to risk a huge penalty by overcommitting. Personally, I’ve found that adapting like this saves me from what would’ve been last-place finishes in roughly one out of every three games.

Card counting and memory play a bigger role than many beginners realize. You don’t need to track every single card like a pro blackjack player, but keeping a mental note of key discards—especially high-value tiles or suits that are piling up—can give you a massive edge. For instance, if three Queens have already been discarded, chasing a Four-of-a-Kind with the last Queen is futile. I once turned a losing game around simply because I remembered that all the 8 of diamonds and hearts were already out, signaling that a certain suit was "safe" to discard. This mirrors the solo-friendly design of WoW’s Delves, where success hinges on learning patterns rather than memorizing complex raid mechanics. Admittedly, I’m not perfect at this—I’d say I accurately track about 60-70% of discards in a typical game—but even that partial awareness makes a noticeable difference.

Timing your declarations strategically can make or break a match. I’ve seen players declare too early out of excitement, only to realize they missed a higher-scoring combination. On the flip side, waiting too long can let someone else steal the win. There’s an art to balancing patience and opportunism. In one memorable game, I held a winning hand but noticed an opponent was one card away from a "Royal Flush"—so I delayed my declaration by a turn, baiting them into picking a tile that actually helped me more. It felt like a calculated gamble, similar to how WoW players in Delves might save a cooldown ability for the perfect moment instead of spamming it mindlessly. From my observations, the top Tong Its players I’ve faced declare at the right moment about 80% of the time, while beginners get it right less than half the time. It’s a skill that improves with practice, but consciously focusing on it accelerated my learning curve immensely.

Finally, mindset matters as much as technique. Tong Its can be frustrating when luck isn’t on your side, but tilting only leads to more mistakes. I used to get irritated after a bad draw and make reckless discards, which cost me multiple games. Over time, I’ve adopted a calmer approach—treating each hand as a new puzzle rather than dwelling on past losses. This resonates with WoW’s shift toward Delves, which reduces the pressure of group expectations and lets players focus on personal progress. In Tong Its, maintaining a positive attitude helps you spot opportunities others might miss. For example, in a match last month, I started with a terrible hand but stayed patient, slowly building a "Mixed Sequence" that nobody saw coming. I ended up winning despite having what I thought was a 30% chance at best. While I can’t quantify the exact impact of mindset, I’d guess it improves my overall performance by at least 15%.

Mastering Tong Its isn’t about memorizing complex rules or relying on sheer luck—it’s about layering these strategies together, much like how WoW’s developers blended traditional and solo-friendly content in Delves to cater to different playstyles. Whether you’re reading opponents, adapting your plans, or honing your timing, each game becomes a dynamic experience that rewards creativity. I still have moments where I misjudge a discard or declare too late, but these five approaches have made the journey far more enjoyable and successful. So shuffle that deck, keep these tips in mind, and you might just find yourself dominating matches sooner than you think. After all, the best part of Tong Its—and games in general—is that there’s always room to grow.